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Aspartame - Its Ill Effects
The subject of Aspartame is coming up more and more for folks trying the JK Diet and for good reason. Here we are suddenly faced with the prospect of our beloved sugar and friends being taken away for good and then to hear about Aspartame and its ill-effects. It can be too much to take in at once. Where is the sugar substitute? Since March I have been reading a book called, Potatoes, Not Prozac by Kathleen DesMaisons. I began to read this book because the title said it was for "Sugar Sensitive People" and if there was a TTM-er who was addicted to sugar it was me. As I began reading I found that this sugar high I had been on before the JK Diet had my blood sugar, my beta-endorphins and my serotonin levels jumping around like a Cuban Salsa band. I felt moody, tired and unhappy and I didn't know why. DesMaisons posits that leaving sugars (See my Sugar Page for more info.) out of your diet, adding in more complex carbohydrates and adding protein to every meal ( a very simplified version of the book) can help us "sugar sensitive people" to find a balanced and peaceful life without craving sugar. Wouldn't that help us TTM-ers so much, if we didn't crave sugar anymore? Brilliant! I read on to find that aspartame may be a huge pitfall for us "sugar sensitive people". This book has helped me understand why using aspartame as a sugar substitute can cause us more trouble than its worth. Dr. DesMaisons writes: "... Sugar free products use aspartame (NutraSweet) as a sweetener. Aspartame is made from phenylalanine, which is an amino acid. High doses of any single amino acid can throw off the balance of aminos in your brain and body. Since phenylalanine is a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine, which are both stimulating neurotransmitters, high usage of NutraSweet can create an "upper"-like effect. You may find that you really like the effect you get from sugar-free products. I encourage my clients to stay away from products with aspartame both for their addictive potential and their reinforcement of the dependence upon sweet taste." I will have more for you on this subject but in the meantime, consider what Dr. DesMaisons says and watch this space for more info. Home/JK Diet Information Page/Join The JK Diet Supporters/Email Me Let's Discuss The JK Diet - JK Diet Forum
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